Contracts for four Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies who appear on the “Police Women of Broward County” reality TV show were turned over to a Broward County judge Monday for his review.

The side deals with the deputies are being sought by the Broward public defender and the state attorney.

At issue is whether the women are being paid to “manufacture arrests” that may appear on the TV show, and whether show business is influencing them while they’re enforcing the law, Assistant Public Defender Gordon Weekes Jr. says.

There are seven cases in which he says the contracts are an issue.

“We’re inching closer,” Weekes said after Discovery Communications gave the contracts to Broward Circuit Judge David Haimes.

Discovery owns TLC, the network that has aired two seasons of “Police Women of Broward County.”

Weekes still wants his colleagues to also be able to review the deputies’ deals.

Assistant state attorney Jeff Marcus had subpoenaed the deputies’ contracts, and on Monday, the company complied. The state is legally required to provide all evidence in the possession of law enforcement that is favorable to the defense.

The corporation has said in court documents that the women are not paid for the type or quantity of arrests they make on the show.

The Sheriff’s Office has said their employees are paid by the reality TV show for their off-duty time, though the deputies appear in episodes while in uniform and on the job, using county equipment and vehicles.

Dana McElroy, one of Discovery’s lawyers, argued before the judge that confidential terms of the contract do not shed any light on any possible motives that are suggested by the public defender. She also argued that it was not relevant how much the deputies were being paid.

“So in other words if there is an expert witness, you can ask, ‘Well, aren’t you getting paid?’ but you can’t ask them how much?” Haimes said to McElroy. “I don’t think that’s ever the case.”

Haimes asked the lawyers to return Sept. 8 to continue their arguments. At that time, he is also scheduled to review Weeke’s request that the court find one of the deputies, Detective Andrea Penoyer, in contempt for not answering questions about the reality TV show during a deposition.

Linda Trischitta reports on breaking news and authors the Crime & Safety Blog for The Sun Sentinel, where since 2007 she has written about cities and the people who live in them. Her work has also appeared in The Times Union [Albany, NY]; PEOPLE Magazine and Reader’s Digest.